Wet sheet package and method of producing the same

ABSTRACT

A wet sheet package, in which wet sheets ( 2 ) used in wiping dirt off baby&#39;s body or the like are packaged, comprises a stack ( 1 ) of wet sheets ( 2 ), a hermitic packaging bag ( 3 ) storing the stack ( 1 ), a wet sheet takeout opening ( 4 ) formed in said packaging bag ( 3 ), and a cover unit ( 8 ) mounted on the opening ( 4 ) side of the packaging bag ( 3 ), wherein the cover unit ( 8 ) is mounted on the packaging bag ( 3 ) from outside through a pressure sensitive adhesive ( 10 ). With the package thus constructed, high speeds for production can be easily attained, the decrease of yield due to positional deviation of the cover unit ( 8 ), etc., can be prevented, and low cost, easy and efficient production is possible.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a wet sheet package and a method ofproducing the same, and provides a wet sheet package and a method ofproducing the same, wherein the production can be easily speeded up, thedecrease of yield due to positional deviation of a cover unit can beprevented, and low cost, easy and efficient production is made possible.

BACKGROUND ART

Some of the wet sheet packages in the form of wet sheets received in apackaging bag used to wipe dirt off a baby's body or the like haveheretofore been provided with a cover unit on the takeout opening sideof the packaging bag. Such cover unit-equipped wet sheet packagecomprises a stack of wet sheets impregnated with a cleaning liquid,medicine liquid or the like, a packaging bag made of a hermeticpackaging sheet material, such as synthetic resin film, for storing saidstack, a cover unit mounted on the opening side of the packaging bag,wherein when wet sheets are to be used, the cover body of the cover unitis opened to allow the wet sheets in the package to be taken out one byone through the takeout port.

This cover unit-equipped wet sheet package is produced, as described inJapanese Patent Kokai Hei 8-318977, conventionally by a methodcomprising the steps of forming an opening of suitable size in apackaging sheet material, integrally joining a cover unit to saidpackaging sheet material as by heat seal so as to correspond to saidopening, feeding a stack to a position corresponding to the cover uniton the packaging sheet material, wrapping said stack in said packagingsheet material while sealing the packaging sheet material at requiredplaces as by heat seal, thereby forming a packaging bag for packagingthe stack.

However, in the prior art, because of the steps, employed in producingwet sheet packages, of joining the unit cover to the opening side of thepackaging sheet material, feeding the stack onto the packaging sheetmaterial in alignment with the cover unit, and then wrapping the stackin the packaging sheet material so as to form a packaging bag, it isvery difficult to speed up the production or high efficiency can hardlybe attained, as compared with the type having no cover unit.

Further, the cover unit has to be disposed in a predetermined position,such as the middle of the upper surface of the packaging bag. However,the packaging bag is formed such that while conveying the packagingsheet material having the cover unit mounted thereon, the stack is fedonto the packaging sheet material; therefore, the packaging sheetmaterial tends to be deviated owing to vibrations of the cover unit, orthe like. As a result, when the packaging bag is formed such that thestack is wrapped in the packaging sheet material, the cover unit tendsto deviate from the central region of the upper surface of the packagingbag, lowering the yield of wet sheet packages.

Therefore, since the conventional cover unit-equipped wet sheet packageis difficult to produce at high speed and is low in production yield,there is a problem that the production cost drastically increases.

With the above in mind, the invention has for its object the provisionof a wet sheet package, and a method of producing the same, wherein highspeeds for production can be easily attained, the decrease of yield dueto positional deviation of the cover unit, etc., can be prevented, andlow cost, easy and efficient production is possible.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

A wet sheet package according to the invention comprises a stack 1 ofwet sheets 2, a hermitic packaging bag 3 storing said stack 1, a wetsheet takeout opening 4 formed in said packaging bag 3, and a cover unit8 mounted on the opening 4 side of said packaging bag 3, wherein saidcover unit 8 is mounted on said packaging bag 3 from outside through apressure sensitive adhesive 10. Therefore, the cover unit 8 can bemounted after the production of the packaging bag 3, so that, ascompared with the prior art, high speeds for production can be easilyattained, the decrease of yield due to positional deviation of the coverunit 8, etc., can be prevented, and low cost, easy and efficientproduction is possible.

Further, a wet sheet package according to the invention is such thatsaid cover unit 8 comprises an attaching base 11 having a takeoutopening 9 corresponding to the opening 4 and stuck to said packaging bag3 through the pressure sensitive adhesive 10, and a cover body 13disposed in said attaching base 11 for opening and closing said takeoutport 9, wherein said pressure sensitive adhesive 10 is positioned tosurround the entire periphery of said opening 4. Therefore, the coverunit 8 is simple in construction and allows the user to open the coverbody 13 as required to take out a wet sheet 2 in the inside through thetakeout port 9 with ease. Further, the attaching base 11 can be easilyand reliably stuck to the outer side of the opening 4 in the packagingbag 3 by the pressure sensitive adhesive 10.

Further, a wet sheet package according to the invention is such thatsaid attaching base 11 has an opening/closing label 24 openably/closablystuck thereto through a pressure sensitive adhesive 26 for sealing saidtakeout port 9. Therefore, after a wet sheet 2 in the packaging bag 3has been taken out, the takeout opening 9 can be easily and reliablysealed by the opening/closing label 24, preventing drying, etc. of thewet sheets 2.

Furthermore, a the wet sheet package according to the invention is suchthat said packaging bag 3 is formed with said opening 4 in the uppersurface side of a packaging sheet material 6 which packages said stack1, the packaging sheet material 6 having a longitudinal seal portion 5formed on the lower surface side thereof for sealing the lug side ofsaid packaging sheet 6 longitudinally of said stack 1, and transverseseal portions 7 formed in the opposite ends longitudinally of said stack1 for sealing the opposite ends of said packaging sheet material 6.Thus, the packaging bag 3 is simple in construction and adhesion of thecover unit 8 to the packaging bag 3 is also easy.

A method of producing such wet sheet package according to the inventioncomprises a packaging bag producing step 39 for producing a packagingbag 3 for wrapping a stack 1 of wet sheets 2 in a hermetic packagingsheet material 6 so as to package said stack 1 in said packaging sheetmaterial 6, and a cover unit mounting step 40 for mounting from outsidea cover unit 8 on the wet sheet takeout opening 4 side of said packagingbag 3 produced by said packaging bag producing step 39. Therefore, ascompared with the prior art, high speeds for production can be easilyattained, the decrease of yield due to positional deviation of the coverunit 8, etc., can be prevented, and low cost, easy and efficientproduction is possible.

Further, a production method according to the invention is such that inproducing a wet sheet package A by producing a packaging bag 3 forwrapping a stack 1 of wet sheets 2 in a hermitic packaging sheetmaterial 6 so as to package said stack 1 in said packaging sheetmaterial 6, said cover unit 8 is mounted from outside on the side of thewet sheet takeout opening 4 formed in said packaging sheet material 6after said step 34 of wrapping said stack 1 in said packaging sheetmaterial 6. Therefore, as in the above, high speeds for production canbe easily attained, the decrease of yield due to positional deviation ofthe cover unit 8, etc., can be prevented, and low cost, easy andefficient production is possible.

Furthermore, a production method according to the invention is such thatin the step preceding the step of producing the packaging bag 3 usingthe packaging sheet material 6, said cover unit 8 is mounted on theopening 4 side of said packaging sheet material 6. Therefore, there isno problem arising, such as one of the packaging bag 3 being torn by theurging of the cover unit 8.

Further, a production method according to the invention is such thatwhen said cover unit 8 having an attaching base 11 with a takeout port 9and a cover body 13 installed on said attaching base 11 foropening/closing said takeout port 9 is mounted on said packaging bag 3,a pressure sensitive adhesive 10 is applied to the attaching base 11 andsaid attaching base 11 is stuck to said packaging bag 3 through saidpressure sensitive adhesive 10 with said takeout port 9 positioned tocorrespond to said opening 4. Therefore, as compared with the operationof applying the pressure sensitive adhesive 10 to the packaging bag 3side, the present operation is easy to perform, and the oozing of thepressure sensitive adhesive 10 from the attaching base 11, etc. can beeasily prevented.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the opened state of a wet sheetpackage according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing said opened state;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view showing said opened state;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing said opened state; 6

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing said opened state;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a wet sheet package producing process;

FIG. 7 is en explanatory view of the wet sheet package producingprocess;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a wet sheet package;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing a wet sheet package producing processaccording to a second embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a wet sheet package producing processaccording to a third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the closed state of awet sheet package according to a fourth embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the opened state.

BEST MODE FOR EMBODYING THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail withreference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 through 8 illustrate a firstembodiment of the invention. This wet sheet package A, as shown in FIGS.1 through 5, comprises a stack 1 of wet sheets 2, such as wet towels, apackaging bag 3 for packaging the stack 1 in its stored state, and acover unit 8 mounted on the packaging bag 3 from outside.

The stack 1 is obtained in that a plurality of wet sheets 2 folded inzigzag or in other form are stacked substantially in a cubic form as awhole. The wet sheets 2 are staked in such a manner that the ends ofupper and lower wet sheets 2 are placed on each other over apredetermined range so that when a wet sheet 2 is taken out, the ends ofthe upper and lower wet sheets 2 coordinate with each other.

The packaging bag 3 is formed with an opening 4 above the upper surfaceside of the stack 1 for taking out wet sheets 2 and a cover unit 8 isstuck from outside to the upper surface so as to correspond to theopening 4. For the packaging bag 3, use is made of a hermetic packagingsheet material 6, for example, a single film, such as a synthetic resinfilm of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyamide, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidene chloride, cellophane, or acetate, a compositefilm of two or more of these materials, or a superposed film in the formof an aluminum foil superposed on such single or composite film.

The packaging bag 3 is sealed, with the stack 1 of the wet sheets 2wrapped therein, such that the lower surface side opposite to theopening 4 is longitudinally sealed at a longitudinal seal portion 5 inthe widthwise middle of the stack 1 and such that the longitudinalopposite ends of the stack 1 are sealed at transverse seal portions 7through gussets 6 a. In addition, the seal portions 5 and 7 are eachjoined by heat seal or any other joining method. The opening 4 is formedoval substantially in the middle of the upper surface side above andlongitudinally of the stack 1.

The cover unit 8 comprises an attaching base 11 having a takeout port 9formed therein and stuck to the upper surface side of the packaging bag3 through a pressure sensitive adhesive 10, a cover body 13openably/closably pivoted to the attaching base 11 by hinges 12, and anelastic body 14 interposed between the attaching base 11 and the coverbody 13 on the hinge 12 side and urging the cover body 13 in the openingdirection.

And, the cover unit 8 is provided on the attaching base 11 side with anfitting support portion 15 a and on the cover body 13 side with anengaging portion 16 adapted to releasably engage the engaging supportportion 15 a when the cover body 13 is closed, and with an operatingportion 17 for operating the engaging support portion 15 a in thedirection to release it from the engaging portion 16 when the cover body13 is opened.

In addition, the attaching base 11 and cover body 13 of the cover unit 8are each integrally formed of a synthetic resin material having asuitable degree of rigidity and elasticity.

The attaching base 11, which is long lengthwise of the stack 1, flat andsubstantially rectangular, is formed substantially in the middle withthe oval takeout port 9 corresponding to the opening 4 in the packagingbag 3 and, besides this, it is integrally formed with an outerperipheral projecting edge 18 in the outer periphery, a fitting supportportion 19, projecting upward, in the inner side thereof, and a notch 20on the side opposite to the hinges 12.

The fitting support portion 19, which is in oval form surrounding thetakeout port 9, is spaced a predetermined distance related to a labelsticking portion 21 and formed in an oval shape in the outer peripheralside of the takeout port 9 and intermediate between the takeout port 9and the outer peripheral projecting edge 18, integrally projecting inrib form from the attaching base 11. And, the fitting support portion 19is integrally formed with an engaging support portion 15 a in the innerside of the straight portion on the side opposite to the hinges 12 andwith an operating portion 17 in the outer side thereof.

The operating portion 17 is in the form of a plate projecting outwardfrom the fitting support portion 19 in substantially parallel with theattaching base 11. The notch 20 is formed on the side opposite to thehinges 12, extending from the outer side and in the vicinity of thefitting support portion 19 to stride across the outer peripheralprojecting edge 18, the operating portion 17 being disposed in saidnotch 20.

The cover body 13 is in the form of a substantially rectangular plate ofsuch size as to fit in the outer peripheral projecting edge 18 when itis closed. The cover body 13 is formed with a fitting projection 22 inthe substantially middle lower side and a notch 23 corresponding to theoperating portion 17, in the end edge on the side opposite to the hinges12. The fitting projection 22 is adapted to fit in the fitting supportportion 19 when the cover body 13 is closed. And it is formed in an ovalshape as in the case of the fitting support portion 19, projectingdownward in rib form from the cover body 13. And, an engaging portion 16corresponding to the engaging support portion 15 a is formed in theinner side of the straight portion of the fitting projection 22. Inaddition, the operating portion 17 has such a length as not to projectinto the outside from the outer peripheral projecting edge 18. Anopening/closing label 24 to cover the takeout port 9 isopenably/closably stuck to the label sticking portion 21 of theattaching base 11 through a pressure sensitive adhesive 26. Theopening/closing label 24 is made of the same sheet material as thepackaging sheet material 6 or other material and has an opening/closingknob 25 on one lengthwise end side and is peelably stuck to the labelsticking portion 21 through the pressure sensitive adhesive 26.

The hinges 12, two in number, for example, are longitudinally arrangedalong the end edge on the side opposite to the operating portion 17 ofthe cover unit 8. Each hinge 12 comprises a projection 27 integral withthe attaching base 11 on the inner side and in the vicinity of the outerperipheral projecting edge 18, and a pin 28 integral with the end edgeside of the cover body 13, said pin 28 being rotatably inserted in a pinhole in the projection 27. In addition, instead of using the hinges 12,the cover body 13 may be pivotally connected at the bend to theattaching base 11.

For the elastic body 14, a rubber strip or the like is used, disposedsubstantially in the middle between the two hinges 12. The elastic body14 is applied along the attaching base 11 and cover body 13, with itslengthwise opposite ends abutting against the fitting support portion 19on the attaching base 11 side and a stop 29 on the cover body 13 side.On the attaching base 11 side, the elastic body 14 is held in positionby holding ribs 30 on the opposite sides thereof.

This wet sheet package A is produced, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, througha punching step 31, a stacking step 32, a stack feeding step 33, awrapping step 34, a longitudinal sealing step 35, a transverse sealingstep 36, a cover unit feeding step 37, and a cover unit sticking step38. In addition, the wrapping step 34, longitudinal sealing step 35 andtransverse sealing step 36 constitute a packaging bag producing step 39,while the cover unit feeding step 37 and cover unit sticking step 38constitute a cover unit mounting step 40.

First of all, in the punching step 31, the packaging sheet material 6for packaging bags 3 is fed in the longitudinal direction while apunching means, not shown, successively forms openings 4 in thepackaging sheet material 6 at a predetermined spacing. On the otherhand, in the discrete stacking step 32, a plurality of wet sheets 2 arestacked to provide a stack 1.

And, in the stack feeding step 33, stacks 1 are fed to positionscorresponding to individual openings 4 in this packaging sheet material6 synchronously with the feed rate of the punched, packaging sheetmaterial 6, and then in the wrapping step 34, the packaging sheetmaterial 6 is wrapped around the outer periphery of the stack 1 whilebeing guided by the guide means 41, whereby the stack 1 is wrappedtherein.

Subsequently, in the longitudinal sealing step 35, with the oppositeedges of the packaging sheet material 6 superposed on each other on thelower side of the stack 1, the edges are sealed along the feed directionto form a longitudinal seal 5, and the excessive edges of the packagingsheet material 6 are cut off by melting. And, in the transverse sealingstep 36, the back side of the preceding stack 1 and the front side ofthe following stack 1 are each formed with a gusset 6 a, and the frontend of each gusset 6 a is transversely sealed to form a transverse seal7, whereupon the packaging sheet material 6 is severed between the twoseals 7 to complete the production of the packaging bag 3 for thepreceding stack 1.

And, when the production of the packaging bag 3 is completed, in thenext cover unit feeding step 37, a cover unit 8 is fed to the opening 4side of each packaging bag 3 and temporarily fixed in position by apressure sensitive adhesive 10. In the cover unit sticking step 38, thecover unit 8 is urged against the packaging bag 3 side and the attachingbase 11 is stuck from outside to the upper surface side of the packagingbag 3 through the pressure sensitive adhesive 10. In addition, the coverunit 8 has the pressure sensitive adhesive 10 applied in advance tosubstantially the entire surface of the attaching base 11 so as tosurround the takeout port 9, and in this state, the cover unit 8 is fed.Of course, it is fed in the state in which the cover body 13 is closed,and attaching base 11 stuck to the packaging bag 3 through the pressuresensitive adhesive 10. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 8, the wet sheetpackage A can be produced with the stack 1 stored in the packaging bag3, with the cover unit 8 provided on the opening 4 side of the packagingbag 3.

Employing the method in which after the stack 1 has been wrapped in thepackaging sheet material 6 to produce the packaging bag 3 in thismanner, the cover unit 8 is stuck to the opening 4 side through thepressure sensitive adhesive 10, provides the merits that high speeds forproduction of wet sheet packages A can be easily attained, that thedecrease of yield due to positional deviation of the cover unit 8, etc.,can be prevented, and that low cost, easy and efficient production ispossible.

That is, until the packaging bag 3 is produced by wrapping the stack 1in the packaging sheet material 6, it can be produced in substantiallythe same step as in the ordinary case having no cover unit 8. Further,in mounting the cover unit 8 on the packaging bag 3, the cover unit 8has only to be stuck to the packaging bag 3 through the pressuresensitive adhesive 10; therefore, as compared with the conventionalproduction method for producing the packaging bag 3 by wrapping thestack 1 in a packaging sheet material 6 equipped with a cover unit 8,high efficiency of production of wet sheet packages A can be easilyattained.

Furthermore, since the cover unit 8 is stuck to the opening 4 side afterthe production of the packaging bag 3, there are merits that theposition where the cover unit 8 is stuck to the packaging bag 3 isstabilized, that positional deviation of the cover unit 8, etc., can beeasily prevented, and that the yield of wet sheet packages A improves.Further, since the attaching base 11 can be temporarily fixed on theopening 4 side of the packaging bag 3 by the pressure sensitive adhesive10, positional deviation of the cover unit 8, etc., after it has beenfed can be prevented. This, coupled with the attainment of high speedsfor production described above, enables wet sheet packages A to beproduced at low cost and easily and efficiently.

Further, the cover unit 8 is pressed against the packaging bag 3 sideduring the sticking of the cover unit 8; however, the presence of theopening 4 in the packaging bag 3 allows the air in the packaging bag 3to be extracted outside through the opening 4, so that there is noproblem such as one of the packaging bag 3 bursting due to the pressureproduced during pressing.

This wet sheet package A has the attaching base 11 of the cover unit 8stuck to the opening 4 side of the packaging bag 3 through the pressuresensitive adhesive 10 and the opening/closing label 24 stuck to thelabel sticking portion 21 of the attaching base 11, said opening/closinglabel 24 sealing the takeout port 9; therefore, the interior of thepackaging bag 3 can be kept substantially hermetic, preventing thedrying of the wet sheets 2.

When a wet sheet 2 inside the packaging bag 3 is to taken out for use,the operating portion 17 is pressed. Thereupon, the fitting supportportion 19 side is elastically outwardly deformed by the pressing on theoperating portion 17, so that the engaging portion 16 on the cover body13 side is released from the engaging support portion 15 a on theattaching base 11 side and the cover body 13 is turned open around thepins 28 of the hinges 12 by the urging force of the elastic body 14. Inaddition, the cover body 13 will stop in its elected state.

After the cover body 13 has been opened, the user pinches the knob 25 topeel the opening/closing label 24, opening the takeout port 9. Inaddition, the side of the opening/closing label 24 opposite to the knob25 is fixed to the attaching base 11 at a position remote from theopening 4 or is made harder to peel than the other portion; in order topeel this opening/closing label 24, only the portion which closes theopening 4 may be peeled. This makes it possible to take out a wet sheet2 inside the packaging bag 3 from the uppermost side of the stack 1successively through the opening 4 and takeout port 9.

When the top wet sheet 2 is drawn out, part of the underlying wet sheet2 is drawn out together with the overlying wet sheet 2 into the takeoutport 9; thereafter, the following wet sheets 2 can be successivelyeasily taken out through the takeout port 9 by pinching the portionprojecting out of the takeout port 9.

After use, the opening/closing label 24 is stuck to the label stickingportion 21 to seal the takeout port 9, and then the cover body 13 isclosed against the force of the elastic body 14, whereupon the engagingportion 16 engages the engaging support portion 15 a. Therefore, theengagement between the engaging portion 16 and the engaging supportportion 15 a can easily lock and hold the cover body 13 in the closedstate.

FIG. 9 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention, whereininterposed between the longitudinal sealing step 35 and the transverseseal 36 are the cover unit feeding step 37 and the cover unit stickingstep 38, so that the cover unit 8 is fed in the course of the packagingbag producing step 39 and stuck to the packaging sheet material 6.

That is, in producing wet sheet packages A, the stack 1 is wrapped inthe packaging sheet material 6 in the wrapping step 34, and oppositeedges of the packaging sheet material 6 are longitudinally sealed toform a longitudinal seal portion 5 in the longitudinal sealing step 35,and then the cover unit 8 is fed to the opening 4 side of the packagingsheet material 6 in the cover unit feeding step 37. And, the cover unit8 is stuck to the opening 4 side of the packaging sheet material 6 inthe cover unit sticking step 38, and then in the transverse sealing step36 the transverse seal portions 7 are sealed to complete the productionof the packaging bag 3.

Even in this manner, as compared with the case of using a packagingsheet material 6 having the cover unit 8 to wrap the stack 1 therein,high speeds for production can be easily attained, the decrease of yielddue to positional deviation of the cover unit 8, etc., can be prevented,and low cost, easy and efficient production is possible. Further, evenif the cover unit 8 is pressed against the stack 1 side in sticking thecover unit 8, since this is prior to sealing the transverse sealportions 7, there are no problems such as one of the packaging bag 3bursting due to the pressure produced during pressing, so that the coverunit 8 can be firmly stuck to the packaging sheet material 6 by thepressure sensitive adhesive 10.

FIG. 10 illustrates a third embodiment of the invention, wherein thewrapping step 34 is followed by the cover unit feeding step 37 and thecover unit sticking step 38, and the feeding and sticking of the coverunit 8 are performed substantially concurrently with the longitudinalsealing step 35.

In this embodiment also, when the stack 1 is wrapped in the packagingsheet material 6, a predetermined tension exists on the packaging sheetmaterial 6 and there is no wrinkle or the like in the opening 4, so thatit is possible, substantially concurrently with the sealing of thelongitudinal seal portion 5, to temporarily fix and stick the cover unit8 on the opening 4 side of the packaging sheet material 6. The samemerits as those in the second embodiment are also attained in thisembodiment.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate a fourth embodiment of the invention, whereinthe attaching base 11 is stuck to the upper surface of the packaging bag3 at hot melt portion 43, the cover body 13 is openably/closably andbendably connected to the attaching base 11 by a bend 44, and theoperating portion 17 is removably attached to the holding portion 45 ofthe attaching base 11 on the side opposite to the bend 44 with respectto the cover body 13.

The attaching base 11 is circumferentially integrally formed with aupwardly projecting, outer peripheral projecting edge 18 and a fittingsupport portion 19, and a holding portion 45 having a recess 46 isintegrally formed on the side opposite to the bend 44 and between theouter peripheral projecting edge 18 and the fitting support portion 19.The hot melt portion 43 is so formed as to surround the opening 4 in thepackaging bag 3. The cover body 13 has a size such that it fits in theouter peripheral projecting edge 18, and is formed with a notch 47 onthe side opposite to the bend 44.

In addition, the bend 44 is made by integrally molding or welding theouter peripheral projecting edge 18 of the attaching base 11 and thecover body 13, and through this bend 44 is the cover body 13openably/closably connected to the attaching base 11. Therefore, thecover body 13 has only to be openably/closably connected to theattaching base 11, not always requiring the use of pin type hinges 12.

The fitting projection 22 of the cover body 13 is adapted to fit on theouter side of the fitting support portion 19 on the attaching base 11side when the cover body 13 is closed, and an engaging portion 16 and anengaging support portion 15 a are provided between the fittingprojection 22 and the fitting support portion 19 and on the sideopposite to the bend 44. The engaging portion 16 and the engagingsupport portion 15 a are constituted by a projection and a recess. Inaddition, either the engaging portion 16 or the engaging support portion15 a may be a projection or a recess.

The operating portion 17 is disposed between the cover body 13 in itsclosed state and the outer peripheral projecting edge 18 so that whenthe cover body 13 is closed, the operating portion 17 corresponds to theinterior of the notch 47, with the upper surface being substantiallyflush with the upper surface of the coverbody 13 in its closed state.The operating portion 17 has a pair of projections 48 on its lower side,said projections 48 being adapted to removably engage the recess 46 ofthe holding portion 45, whereby the operating portion 17 is mounted onthe attaching base 11 side. And, this operating portion 17 has theengaging edge 49 on one end side thereof adapted to engage the lowerside of the attaching base 11 and when it is pressed at the other endside thereof, the engaging edge 49 pushes up the cover body 13 in theopening direction with the projection 48 side serving as a fulcrum. Inaddition, the elastic body 14 is fixed at least at one end side thereofto the attaching base 11 side as by pressure sensitive adhesion and isabutted at the other end side against the fitting projection 22.

In this embodiment, after the stack 1 has been wrapped, it is onlynecessary to stick the attaching base 11 of the cover unit 8 to theupper side of the packaging bag 3 at the hot melt portion 43 in such amanner as to surround the opening 4. Therefore, the attaching base 11 ofthe cover unit 8 can be easily and firmly stuck to the packaging bag 3even in the hot melt system without using the pressure sensitiveadhesive 10 used in the first embodiment.

When the cover body 13 of the cover unit 8 is to be opened, the outerend side of the operating portion 17 is pressed, whereupon the angle ofthe operating portion 17 changes, with the intermediate projection 48side serving as a fulcrum, and the engaging edge 49 pushed the end ofthe cover body 13 upward. This causes the engaging portion 16 todisengage the engaging support portion 15 a, thereby allowing the coverbody 13 to be turned open around the bend 44.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described so far, but theinvention is not limited thereto. For example, in producing wet sheetpackages A, substantially concurrently with the longitudinal sealingstep 35 for sealing the longitudinal seal portion 5, the cover unit 8may be fed and temporarily fixed and pressed against the stack 1 side tobe stuck to the opening 4 side of the packaging sheet material 6.

Further, concurrently with the wrapping of the stack 1 in the wrappingstep 34, the cover unit 8 may be fed and stuck. In other words, in thepackaging bag producing step 39, the cover unit 8 can be mounted on thepackaging sheet material 6 at a suitable point of time.

At the time of taking out a wet sheet 2, if it is desired to applyresistance to the following wet sheet 2 at the takeout port 9, this maybe attained by making the size of the takeout port 9 smaller than thatof the opening 4 on the packaging bag 3 side. Further, if it is desiredto apply resistance on the opening 4 side of the packaging bag 3,reversely, the size of the opening 4 may be made smaller than that ofthe takeout port 9. In this case, the opening 4 may be oval asillustrated in the embodiments or it may be provided in the packagingbag 3 in slit form.

The cover unit 8 in the embodiments is also shown by way of example, andvarious changes are possible. Concerning the cover unit 8, the end edgeof the cover body 13 may be bendably welded to part of the outerperipheral projecting edge 18 of the attaching base 11, or the attachingbase 11 and the cover body 13 may be openably/closably connectedtogether without using hinges 12 provided with pins 28, or the like, asby bendably integrally molding the outer peripheral projecting edge 18and the cover body 13.

Besides, in the case where the opening 4 in the packaging bag 3 issmaller than the takeout port 9 of the attaching base 11, theopening/closing label 24 may be stuck to the packaging bag 3 side withinthe takeout port 9. In the case where the arrangement in which theopening/closing label 24 is stuck to the packaging bag 3 side isemployed, the cover unit 8 may be of a construction having no sealingfunction.

Further, in the case where the opening/closing label 24 is to beprovided on the packaging bag 3 side, a method may be employed in whicha wet sheet package A having the opening 4 sealed by the opening/closinglabel 24, and a cover unit 8 having a releasing sheet stuck to thepressure sensitive adhesive 10 side, may be sold separately or as a set,so that before use the user removes the releasing sheet of the coverunit 8 and sticks the cover unit 8 to the packaging bag 3 through thepressure sensitive adhesive 10 in such a manner that the opening/closinglabel 24 may be received in the takeout port 9.

In this case, if the attaching base 11 has been stuck to the packagingbag 3 by the pressure sensitive adhesive 10, then when no wet sheet 2 isleft inside, the cover unit 8 may be removed from the packaging bag 3and stuck to a new one.

In addition, the attaching base 11 of the cover unit 8 may be bonded tothe packaging bag 3 by other adhesive agent than the pressure sensitiveadhesive 10 illustrated in the first embodiment, or it may be mounted bysome other bonding method. Further, the hot melt system illustrated inthe second embodiment or some other mounting system may be employed. Inbrief, the cover unit 8 has only to be mounted on the opening 4 side ofthe packaging bag 3, and means therefor is of no concern.

It is only necessary for the operating portion 17 of the cover unit 8 tobe of such construction that when pressed, it is capable of cancelingthe engagement between the engaging portion 16 and the engaging supportportion 15 a, it would be possible to install it on the cover body 13side, depending on the engagement construction. Further, the cover unit8 may not be provided with an operating portion 17 and instead it may beso designed that the cover body 13 is opened by putting the user'sfinger or the like to the cover body 13 side.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As described above, the wet sheet package according to the invention isuseful in that it contains wet sheets used either in wiping dirt off thebody for babies, etc., or in wiping dirt off OA equipment or otherprecision instruments, and the method of producing wet sheet packagesaccording to the invention is very useful as such.

What is claimed is:
 1. A wet sheet package comprising: a stack of wetsheets; a hermitic packaging bag storing said stack; a wet sheet takeoutopening being oval and formed substantially longitudinally of the stackin said packaging bag; a cover unit mounted on the oval takeout openingside of said packaging bag, said cover unit including: an attaching basehaving an oval takeout port corresponding to the oval takeout openingand joined to the packaging bag; a cover body connected to the attachingbase by a connecting portion for opening and closing said oval takeoutport; an elastic body interposed between the attaching base and thecover body on the connecting portion side and urging the cover body inthe opening direction; an outer peripheral projecting edge disposedprojecting upward in the outer periphery of the attaching base; afitting support portion being oval and surrounding the takeout port inan inner side of the attaching base and disposed projecting upward inrib form from the attaching base; a fitting projection disposedprojecting downward in rib form from the cover body and adapted to fiton an inner side of the fitting support portion when the cover body isclosed, an engaging support portion disposed in the inner side of thestraight portion of the fitting support portion on the side opposite tothe connecting portion; an engaging portion disposed in an outer side ofthe fitting projection and adapted to releasably engage the engagingsupport portion when the cover body is closed; an operation portionprojecting outward from the fitting support portion and substantiallyparallel with the attaching base; a notch extending from the outer sideand in the vicinity of the fitting support portion to stride across theouter peripheral projecting edge; and the operating portion beingdisposed in the notch; the cover body fitting in the outer peripheralprojecting edge when it is closed and having a notch corresponding tothe operating portion; and said cover unit being mounted on saidpackaging bag from outside through a pressure sensitive adhesive.
 2. Awet sheet package comprising: a stack of wet sheets; a hermiticpackaging bag storing said stack; a wet sheet takeout opening being ovaland formed substantially longitudinally of the stack in said packagingbag; a cover unit mounted on the takeout opening side of said packagingbag; said cover unit including: an attaching base having an oval takeoutport corresponding to the takeout opening and joined to the packagingbag; a cover body connected to the attaching base by a connectingportion for opening and closing said takeout port; an elastic bodyinterposed between the attaching base and the cover body on theconnecting portion side and urging the cover body in the openingdirection; an outer peripheral projecting edge disposed projectingupward in the outer periphery of the attaching base; a fitting supportportion formed oval surrounding the takeout port in the inner side ofthe attaching base and disposed projecting upward in rib form from theattaching base; a fitting projection disposed projecting downward in ribform from the cover body and adapted to fit on the outer side of thefitting support portion when the cover body is closed; an engagingportion constituted by a projection or a recess and an engaging supportportion constituted by a recess or a projection provided between thefitting projection and the fitting support portion and on the straightportion on the side opposite to the connecting portion; a holdingportion disposed in the side opposite to the bend and between the outerperipheral projecting edge and the fitting support portion andintegrally formed on the attaching base; a operating portion disposed inthe a attaching base; and an opening/closing label openably/closablyjoined to the attaching base to cover the takeout port through apressure sensitive adhesive and having an opening/closing knob on onelengthwise end side, the cover body fitting in the outer peripheralprojecting edge when it is closed and being formed with a notchcorresponding to the operating portion, and the operating portion beingdisposed between the cover body in the closed state and the outerperipheral projecting edge with the upper surface being substantiallyflush with the upper surface of the cover body in the closed state, andhaving a pair of projections on a lower side, said projections beingadapted to removably engage a recess of a holding portion, wherein theoperating portion is mounted on the attaching base side, and has theengaging edge on one end side thereof adapted to engage the lower sideof the edge of the cover body and when the operation portion is pressedat the other end side thereof, the engaging edge pushes up the coverbody in the opening direction with the projection side serving as afulcrum.
 3. A wet sheet package comprising: a stack of wet sheets; ahermitic packaging bag storing said stack; a wet sheet takeout openingbeing oval and formed on a side of said bag substantially longitudinallyof the stack in said packaging bag; a cover unit mounted on the ovaltakeout opening side of said packaging bag, said cover unit including:an aching base having an oval takeout port corresponding to the ovaltakeout opening and joined to the packaging bag; a cover body connectedto the attaching base by a connecting portion for opening and closingsaid oval takeout port; an elastic body interposed between the attachingbase and the cover body on the connecting portion side and urging thecover body in the opening direction; an outer peripheral projecting edgedisposed projecting upward from an outer periphery of the attachingbase; a fitting support portion being oval and surrounding the takeoutport on an inner side of the attaching base and disposed projectingupward in rib form from the attaching base; a fitting projectiondisposed projecting downward in rib form from the cover body and adaptedto fit on an inner side of the fitting support portion when the coverbody is closed, an engaging support portion disposed in the inner sideof the straight portion of the fitting support portion on the sideopposite to the connecting portion; an engaging portion disposed in anouter side of the fitting projection and adapted to releasably engagethe engaging support portion when the cover body is closed; an operationportion projecting outward from the fitting support portion andsubstantially parallel with the attaching base; the fitting supportportion having a notch extending from the outer side of the fittingsupport portion to stride across the outer peripheral projecting edge;and the operation portion being disposed in the notch; the cover bodyfitting within the outer peripheral projecting edge when it is closedand having a notch corresponding to the operating portion; and saidcover unit being mounted on said packaging bag from outside through apressure sensitive adhesive.
 4. A wet sheet package comprising: a stackof sheets; a hermitic packaging bag storing said stack; a wet sheettakeout opening being oval and formed on a side of said bagsubstantially longitudinally of the stack in said packaging bag; a coverunit mounted on the takeout opening side of said packaging bag; saidcover unit including: an attaching base having an oval takeout portcorresponding to the takeout opening and joined to the packaging bag; acover body connected to the attaching base by a connecting portion foropening and closing said takeout port; an elastic body interposedbetween the attaching base and the cover body on the connecting portionside and urging the cover body in the opening direction; an outerperipheral projecting edge disposed projecting upward from an outerperiphery of the attaching base; a fitting support portion formed ovalsurrounding the takeout port on the inner side of the attaching base anddisposed projecting upward in rib from from the attaching base; afitting projection disposed projecting downward in rib form from thecover body and adapted to fit on the outer side of the fitting supportportion when the cover body is closed; an engaging portion constitutedby a projection or a recess and an engaging support portion constitutedby a recess or a projection provided between the fitting projection andthe fitting support portion and on the straight portion on the sideopposite to the connecting portion; a holding portion disposed on theside opposite to the bend and between the outer peripheral projectingedge and the fitting support portion and integrally formed on theattaching base; a opening portion disposed on the attaching base; and anopening/closing label openably/closably joined to the attaching base tocover the takeout port through a pressure sensitive adhesive and havingan opening/closing knob on one lengthwise end side, the cover bodyfitting within the outer peripheral projecting edge when it is closedand being formed with a notch corresponding to the operating portion,and the operating portion being disposed between the cover body in theclosed state and the outer peripheral projecting edge with the upperbeing substantially flush with the upper surface of the cover body inthe closed state, and having a pair of projections on a lower side, saidprojections being adapted to removably engage a recess of a holdingportion, wherein the operating portion is mounted on the attaching baseside, and has the engaging edge on one end side thereof adapted toengage the lower side of the edge of the cover body and when theoperation portion is pressed at the other end side thereof, the engagingedge pushes up the cover body in the opening direction with theprojection side serving as a fulcrum.
 5. A wet sheet package as setforth in claim 1 or 2, wherein said attaching base has anopening/closing label openably/closably stuck thereto through a pressuresensitive adhesive for sealing said oval takeout port.
 6. A wet sheetpackage as set forth in claim 1, wherein said packaging bag is formedwith said opening in the upper surface side of a packaging sheetmaterial which packages said stack, the packaging sheet material havinga longitudinal seal portion formed on the lower surface side thereof forsealing the lug side of said packaging sheet material longitudinally ofsaid stack, and transverse seal portions formed in the opposite endsides longitudinally of said stack for sealing the opposite ends of saidpackaging sheet material.
 7. A wet sheet package as set forth in claim6, wherein said packaging sheet material is a single film in the form ofa synthetic resin film, a composite film of two or more synthetic resinfilms, or a superposed film in the form of an aluminum foil superposedon such single or composite film.
 8. A wet sheet package as set forth inclaim 3 or 4, wherein said attaching base has an opening/closing labelopenably/closably stuck thereto through a pressure sensitive adhesivefor sealing said oval takeout port.
 9. A wet sheet package as set forthin claim 3, wherein said packaging bag is formed with said opening inthe upper surface side of a packaging sheet material which packages saidstack, the packaging sheet material having a longitudinal seal portionformed on the lower surface side thereof for sealing the lug said ofsaid packaging sheet material longitudinally of said stack, andtransverse seal portioned formed in the opposite end sideslongitudinally of said stack for sealing the opposite ends of saidpackaging sheet material.
 10. A wet sheet package as set forth in claim9, wherein said packaging sheet material is a single film in the form ofa synthetic resin film, a composite film of two or more synthetic resinfilms, or a superposed film in the form of an aluminum foil superposedon such single or composite film.